The drivers in the Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Powered by Mazda may face a second, equally formidable foe besides each other at the next two rounds of the championship Aug. 9-10.

The track.

Rounds 9 and 10 are taking place at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, one of the fastest, mightiest natural road courses in the world. The 14-turn, 4.048-mile circuit features many corners that demand big speed and even larger commitment to maintain momentum on the track's long straightaways.

It's a circuit perfectly suited for the powerful equipment combination of Ăˆlan DP02 chassis, Mazda engines and Cooper tires used by drivers and teams in the series, as the two rounds at Road America are highly anticipated and marked on calendars months in advance when the series schedule is released.

Road America also could be the site of another important step in the eventual coronation of Mikhail Goikhberg as the 2014 series champion.

Goikhberg, from North Vancouver, British Columbia, has built a 53-point lead over Robert Alon - a gap of more than two and one-half rounds of points - with five victories in the first eight races of the season in the No. 10 JDC Motorsports car. His only major setback of the season took place at the last event, in mid-July at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, when he was eliminated on the first lap in Round 7 after a collision with Hayden Duerson. But Goikhberg rallied to finish second in Round 8.

Lamont Harris is a strong contender for the Lites 1 Masters championship.
Alon, from Encino, California, has become a breakout star of the series in his first season of car racing after starting his career in karting. He has steadily climbed the standings into second in the No. 9 Performance Tech Motorsports entry, with two second-place finishes in the last four rounds.

Another first-year driver in the series, Tony Bullock, is third in the standings with 82 points. Bullock, from Auburn, California, earned his first career victory in June at Kansas in the No. 12 car fielded by another series rookie, ONE Motorsports.

Craig Duerson is seeking a return to form at Road America in the No. 27 Performance Tech Motorsports machine. Duerson, from Gulfport, Mississippi, is fourth overall with 74 points and looks for his first podium result since finishing second at Kansas in early June.

A three-way race for fifth will continue at Road America. Andrew Novich, from Novato, Calif., is fifth with 68 points in the No. 61 Comprent Motor Sports car. Christian Potolicchio, from Hallandale Beach, Fla., climbed to sixth with 67 points in the No. 2 8Star Motorsports car after a strong weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park that included his first podium finish of the season.

Series rookie John Falb, from Las Vegas, is seventh overall at 65 points in the No. 77 ONE Motorsports entry. Falb earned his first career overall podium finish by placing third in Round 8 at CTMP.

Falb also has finished on the podium of the Lites 1 Masters (drivers age 40 and older) class in the last five rounds to seize control of that championship from Craig Duerson. Falb leads Duerson, 114-106, with Lamont Harris third with 93 points in the No. 65 8Star Motorsports entry.

From left: Todd Slusher, Lee Alexander, Madison Snow and Christian Potolicchio show the tight racing that's a trademark of the series.
Brian Alder, from Marysville, Ohio, has dominated the Lites 2 class in his No. 22 BAR 1 Motorsports entry this season and leads the class with 156 points after sweeping both rounds last month at CTMP.

But Jerome Mee, Todd Slusher and Ludovico Manfredi continue to push Alder in the growing Lites 2 class. Manfredi, from Key Biscayne, Florida, won at Watkins Glen in the No. 30 MOMO entry, while Mee, from Bellaire, Texas, earned his first victory of the season at CTMP in the No. 95 Alta Velocita Racing car.

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